Fire burnished golden ties
by kusanosakura
Summary: Starcrossed or not series' Dean and Pavarti finalise their marriage with the final rites of a Hindu marriage due to Pavarti's family being Hindu. Due to the closeness of Pavarti and Padma as well as their mutual pregnancies and the family's superstition against having twins married separately the Patil twins move into the house Dean inherited from his deceased wizard sire.


Title: Fire burnished golden ties

Summary: Dean and Pavarti finalise their marriage with the final rites of a Hindu marriage due to Pavarti's family being Hindu. Due to the closeness of Pavarti and Padma as well as their mutual pregnancies and the family's superstition against having twins married separately they are going share the house Dean inherited from his deceased wizard father Caradoc Dearborn.

A/N: Star-crossed Lovers or not series [Snake and Eagle, I did not sleep with that wizard! and Rise of the Cannonites compatible. I could have skipped this but I found Hindu marriage quite interesting and I had to write it. The title comes from the Hindu belief that married couples are tied together as partners by invisible golden ties.

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><p>Pavarti, Dean, Padma and Su Bonding Reception<p>

July 30, 1996

The invitations to the Dearborn and Li Bonding Reception were surprising especially when no bonding had been announced.

Lavender had time to handle the disappointment, but for Seamus it was like a physical blow.

Neville had been appraised but he had not mentioned it to Seamus believing that Dean would do so…

Neville arrived with, his Gran and Luna's father Xenos.

Seamus arrived with Colin, his mother Niamh, his grandfather Killian and Grandmother Betina.

Harry and Draco arrived with their sons, Lucius, Emelia, Remus and Severus.

Dean was wearing the strangest clothes, a long white silk tunic decorated with beads and silver threads, matching trousers and weird shoes that were almost slippers. Standing at his side on the steps of the house was his sister-in-law Su Li.

Su Li was wearing a similar style outfit to Pavarti and Padma's Yule Ball dresses only it was turquoise that was highly adorned with zardozi embroidery on paisley, which was edged with lavender while her sash had colours that were later noted to be in both Padma and Pavarti's dresses.

Pavarti and Padma had following the nursery shopping spent all their time with their female relations. Lavender, Luna and Pansy had been invited to spend the previous night at the penthouse with the brides where they learned how to wear the beautiful ethnic clothing that was traditional.

They arrived with Dean's sister Dana; Pavarti's little sister Parina and various aunts and female cousins via portkey.

Pavarti was wearing a beaded high cut aqua and silver top that was scalloped around her bosom; on her head was a beaded silver and aqua headdress complete with a veil that cascaded over the back of her head, her baby bump was stretching above the hip-level silver skirt decorated with beads and silver threads that resembled peacock feathers. Wrapped around her was a similar coloured fabric that was variegated from aqua to a mauve, all it all it was quite similar to her Yule Ball outfit…

Her sister Padma, well it was presumably her sister because Pavarti would be the more flashily dressed, was wearing a pale bronze, almost cream outfit. She too had a veil but instead of silver thread, hers had gold, brown and white running through it mostly in daisy-like flowers. Her dress's top was made from the same fabric of her veil, while the skirt had more browns in it with embroidered flowers and vines.

Pavarti had obviously procured similar style dresses for Lavender, Pansy and Luna who looked more like witnesses due to the matching style, especially since they arrived on the same portkey.

Lavender's was of course lavender blue, her favourite colour and Pavarti had helped them put on the unfamiliar outfits. Pavarti had remembered how much she'd liked her Yule Ball dress that she'd worn as Harry's date and had finally gotten her one of her own. It was layers of lavender blue chiffon embroidered with flowers and zardozi trimmed with a violet hand-tatted lace complete with an exotic shawl that Lavender had wrapped around her body properly.

Pansy's was a dark chocolate silk bodice and skirt wrapped with a sheer black chiffon scarf edged in green velvet flowers. On her it was stunning.

Luna's shawl was the sacred saffron colour, in particular a golden shade with her extremely blessed baby belly clearly as on display as Pansy's her skirt and top were a very Ravenclaw shade of blue which had white feathers all around the skirt. Her shawl had a silver design of paisley and zardozi over the red border.

Another surprise guest was Cho Chang; her attire was more conservative and she had not chosen to wear anything but her own ethnic dress and had a mauve coloured outfit similar to her Yule Ball dress robes.

With her was her friend Marietta Edgcombe formerly Belby who had on an elegantly cut violet dress that emphasized her own baby bump…

Pavarti and Padma's sister Parina who was going into third year, was wearing an orange skirt edged in a gold, green and pink stripes, the pink border had a rose and vine silver embellishment. She had a green spangled top and a hot pink shawl.

Dana had a turquoise sari paired with silver lavender with pink, red and blue paisley on the edge of the scarf.

Given that each separate part of the Hindu marriage ceremony required new outfits it was unlikely that the family were wearing anything they'd worn the previous milestones.

With the noted exception of Padma and Su, the others were wearing matching silver slippers.

The bridal party were together, clumped up behind Pavarti and Padma who had their arms linked.

Neville, Ron and Vince were wearing traditional wizard dress robes didn't have their wives on their arms as they entered the garden at the Dearborn's family seat in Wales, Deerfield. While Vince and Neville looked perfectly at ease, Ron looked majorly uncomfortable. The ridiculously childish boy hadn't even wanted to come but it would look awkward if the spouse of Pavarti's best friend didn't even attend.

Professor Snape, now legally Professor Prince and his spouse Remus Lupin-Prince were also there.

While Draco, Harry, Greg, Vince, Luna and Neville wore summer cloaks that bore the crests of their house.

The party was assembling on the emerald green lawn before the huge house; to the right was a huge glass conservatory that Neville was clearly itching to explore.

Lucius came with Emelia who was wearing a buttercup yellow suit that looked surprisingly fetching when paired with Lucius' storm grey linen.

Hermione wore a royal sapphire Grecian dress robes that showed off her rarely displayed bosom, pale shoulders, flat stomach and wide hips. Her hair hung in perfect waves rather then her childhood bushy hair thanks no doubt to Andromeda Tonks. For a girl that rarely ever dressed up, she looked as if she'd stepped from heaven and was a goddess.

Andromeda's were a shade of olive rather then Slytherin green, that made her chestnut hair shine with more lustre and her chocolate eyes stand out. Ted wore a well-cut Muggle with a tie that had the exact shade of olive running through it.

Seamus, who was wearing the traditional Wizarding dress robes pouted, "What be going on? How come ya didn't call on me for the wedding?"

Dean winced, "We've still got the contract to sign and the reception, technically all you missed were the multitudinous vows and mantras in Hindi."

"Technically, it's the Chaturthikarma also known as the Nishekam." Pavarti reprimanded gently as she approached her new home.

Dean winked at her in greeting before he sighed, "I respect your traditions but for me that's a difficult word to say."

* Flashback *

_Dean and Su were sat down soon after they learned of the pregnancies._

_Pavarti and Padma proceeded to explain the rituals in respect to a Hindu marriage._

_Kanya Varanam was when two elders of the prospective groom's family approached the father of the girl [themselves] and ask on the groom's behalf for their hand. The step ws called Kanya Varanam but the ritual itself was called Vaak Daanam._

_For Su this would be easy, she would send her parents._

_The trouble with Dean was he was supposedly a penniless Muggleborn, not that Pavarti gave a knut. _

_Before they could continue an elf appeared and bowed, it had a thick welsh accent not unlike Colin and Dennis Creevey._

_"You is being Master Dinadan. I is be Jory."_

_Dean blinked, "Huh?"_

_"You is Master Carey's boy, Dinadan Kay Dearborn. You and Master Neville is being cousins."_

_Dean's eyes nearly popped out of his head, "Neville? Longbottom? We don't look anything alike." _

_"Still is being true." The elf insisted. "Jory is watching master all times. Jory planned to wait but there is being baby and Jory being head elf know. Jory be waiting until Master be needing Jory. Jory want to help. Jory say if Master Dean be needing elder, Master Dean be asking Lady Augusta. Lady be Miss Alys' mum by bond."_

_"If he's my dad what happen to him?" Dean frowned._

_"Master Carey be helping friend. Got hurt and died. Didn't abandon Master Dean. Master Carey be wanted little master muchly. Always bragging about family."_

_"I don't really remember him but Mum's family said he used to give us gifts all the time." Dean mused._

_The elf nodded, "Jory be helping. Master be needing Jory to take letter?"_

_Dean numbly wrote to Neville's grandmother, introducing himself and explaining the situation as well as asking for her assistance._

_Then elf bowed taking the letter and vanishing._

_After the four recovered from the elf's appearance and news, Pavarti took up the thread of the conversation._

_"After the comes the Madhuparka Ceremony or the Kanyaa Daanam. When you both arrive with your families via portkey to our residence you'll be met at the door my family, our closest relatives and friends. It's a thousand year tradition that you might call the threshold ceremony. Our family's priest would welcome you with mantras of blessing, then our mother ought to receive and bless you with rice, red turmeric powder (kumkum) etc., by applying tilak (red dot and uncooked rice) on the groom's forehead. She sprinkles rice and red turmeric powder on the groom, and then blesses him with the palms of both hands - stretching them close to the groom's head. Now the priest and the bride's parents lead the bridegroom and his parents to the stage where they are given appropriate seats. All the other guests take their seats in the hall to witness the marriage ceremony."_

_"To the accompaniment of ceremonial mantras by the officiating priest the bride's parents welcome the groom by invoking the God's blessings and then offering the bridegroom a nutritious drink called Madhuparka." Padma pipped up. _

_"Next is the Vara Prekshanam," Pavarti blushed, "it's when we look at one another formally for the first time. You might worry about any blemishes I have in form or in character but you pray to the gods Varuna, Brihaspati, Indra and Surya to remove every defect and to make her fit for harmonious and long marriage life blessed with progeny and happiness." Her hand covering her baby._

_"Then you will recites the mantra and wipe our eyebrows with a blade of darbha grass, to symbolize the removal of defects. The darbha grass is thrown behind us at the conclusion of this ceremony. You shall stand facing the east, while we shall stand facing the north. Then we'll offer you a ceremonial seat and we'll sit beside you before the four of us take part in the ritual purification ceremonies of Achamana and Angasparsha." Padma said leaning against Su._

_"Then we'll exchange gifts, father will present whatever he deems proper but you are supposed to present clothing and jewellery as an acknowledgement of your lifelong duty to provide for us. After that is the mangala snanam, five Veda mantras are read to purify us for the subsequent stages of marriage. When that is completed you'll tie a rope called a darbha around our waist and lead us to the ceremonial fire where we will sit on a new mat together and you'll recite three mantras."_

_"After that is the maangalya dhaaranam, where you'll both tie the mangala sutram (auspicious thread) around our neck. Then you'll take our hands as you repeat more mantras and prayers for long life, progeny, prosperity and harmony with us."_

_"Next is the Saptapadi, we'll walk together around the sacred fire still holding the same hands. I believe this is the proper translation: Dear Wife! By taking these seven steps, you have become my dearest friend. I pledge my unfailing loyalty to you. Let us stay together for the rest of our lives. Let us not separate from each other ever. Let us be of one mind in carrying out our responsibilities as householders (grihasthas). Let us love and cherish each other and enjoy nourishing food and good health. Let us discharge our prescribed Vedic duties to our elders, ancestors, rishis, creatures, and gods. Let our aspirations be united. I will be the Saaman and may you be the Rk. Saaman refers to the music and Rk refers to the Vedic text that is being cast into music. Let me be the upper world and let you be the Bhumi or Mother Earth. I will be the Sukla or life force and may you be the bearer of that Sukla. Let me be the mind and let you be the speech. May you follow me to conceive children and gain worldly as well as spiritual wealth. May all auspiciousness come your way."_

_Dean thought those were the most interesting vows he'd ever heard, more intimate and hopeful then those his mother has spoken at her wedding to his stepfather David._

_Pavarti and Padma explained the pradhaana homam, the Ashmarohanam, Laaja Homam, praavisya homam and the Chaturthikarma._

_The very idea that the 'wedding night had to be postponed for four days was so alien to Dean but he didn't say a word._

_With Padma and Pavarti explaining the traditions Su and Dean had less chance of falling on their faces…_

* Flashback *

Pavarti and Padma had held off officially entering Dean's ancestral home until today wanting to involve as many of their friends as possible.

Despite their families' protests, Pavarti and Padma wanted their friends to be a part of their celebration just as much as Su and Dean did.

Pavarti knew how important following the family traditions were to Padma so it wasn't really all that much of a surprise to learn that Padma hadn't had penetrative sex either even if Padma had done other sexual things. Pavarti had yet to do more then kiss and cuddle with Dean…

Knowing her brainy husband, like Hermione he probably read everything on the subject so he could be an expert despite his own virginity.

If it weren't for his wealth and title as well as the pregnancy, Pavarti had a suspicion that her father would have been against this.

Dean bowed holding out his hand, "As you father and brother will witness I have carried and tended the sacred fire to this our home. I have properly observed the mantras, in the presence of these guests and family I ask of you Pavarti will you enter into my home and take up the duties as its mistress? Will you see to all the duties of a proper Hindu wife? To be my partner in all things?"

Pavarti accepted it, "I will enter your home and I will accept such duties willingly for we are tied by a divine knot and sanctified by fire."

"Padma, it is by your own wish and the blessing of your sister and her husband that we share this home. Will you willingly assist her as its mistress yet never stand between her and her husband?" Su asked in a variation of the traditional request.

Padma beamed up at Su, "I will assist my sister as is needed and together we will cherish our spouses, ensure that wholesome meals are served, manage the household funds so that we never starve, support our spouses in keeping in good health and nurturing them in poor, we will strive to ever be loyal to you and bring forth children to bless us for the next hundred years worth of happiness."

With the requests given and answered, the two couples linked their right hands headed up the stone stairs to the front door.

Dean let Pavarti take a step into the open doorway with her right foot as per Hindu tradition before picking her up and carrying her over the threshold as per his family's tradition.

As she was carried into Deerfield, Pavarti called out in a loud voice so that the guests could hear her, "I enter this house with a happy heart. May I give birth to children, who observe the path of righteousness! May this house that I enter today be prosperous forever and never be deficient in food. May this house be populated by people of virtue and pious thoughts."

Padma followed with Su Li, taking care to enter right foot first and repeated the words.

The assembled Patil family spoke thirteen Veda mantras while the guests watched Pavarti, Dean, Padma and Su perform a fire ritual called the praavisya homam.

A translation spell was cast in the space so that the guests understood the newly married couple offered salutation to Agni Deva and asked for strength and nourishment to discharge the duties of a _grihasthas_ for the next one hundred years. After that, Pavarti and Padma shifted their position from the right side of their spouse to their left side.

Then Pavarti and Padma jointly recited a mantra invoking the gods for blessings of children and wealth to perform the duties of a householder.

As they finished, the two new wives lowered themselves into the lotus position.

Dean's stepsisters Dana and Danielle plopped into their laps, with Dana staking a claim of sorts to Pavarti while the much younger Dani curled up in Padma's.

Pavarti and Padma produced a peach and an apple that they handed to the girl as they recited another mantra.

The two young girls one about Hogwarts age and the other an adorable four-year-old scrambled up and dragged the Patil twins into the adjoining dining room where a meal was set.

Dean called out, "If Cho, Marietta, Seamus, Neville, Lavender and Pansy will join us?"

The requested guests emerged from the throng.

"We're about to sign the Gringotts contract to satisfy the British customs to legalise our bond." Dean continued. "Since Pavarti is the elder sister, she and I will sign first."

Dean took up the quill and signed his full true name Dinadan Kay Dearborn and Pavarti signed hers before passing the quill to Seamus and Neville. When Neville finished he handed the quill to Lavender who signed beamingly before giving it to Pansy who seemed surprised.

Then Su Li and Padma signed their contract followed by their witnesses Cho Davies, Marietta Edgcombe, Pavarti and Dean.

After the couples and their witnesses signed the contracts, Neville and Harry certified them since Dean couldn't certify his own but he did certify Padma's with Neville.

After which the contracts were sealed in a silver casket and placed in Augusta Longbottom's robes.

"Please join us for the reception welcoming Pavarti and Padma into our home.

The married couples escorted one another to seats at the large table while the dominant partners pulled out their chairs.

The pregnant witches cooed and flailed over Harry's twins Scorpius Malfoy and Orion Potter.

Pansy had a slight moment of visual jealousy but given her own pregnant and bonded state it was short lived.

After the meal, due to it being Neville's birthday that day the guests took the opportunity not only to have his party but to also have a sort of bridal shower/baby shower for Luna, Lavender, Pansy, Pavarti and Padma just to kill time.

Dean's gift to Neville was permission to visit the Conservatory and the extensive grounds at Deerfield in search of rare magical plants…

XooooooX

It was just after dinner and though there was still light in the sky, the guests escorted Dean and Pavarti as well as Padma and Su to the corridor that their private chambers were off of where they had the Chaturthikarma also known as the Nishekam.

Just before the two former Patil sisters could enter their respective rooms, a mantra was intoned that asked the assembled guests to bless the bride and then retire to their own individual homes peacefully.

They were given hugs and hand shakes in celebration as requested.

Dean received a few knowing nudges from Seamus, Neville and Harry; after all they were already married and had consummated their Bondings.

Lavender still hadn't officially slept with Ron but she was confident it was only a matter of time.

Pansy had a huge apartment that connected to Vince's at, Macclesfield Park was being held in trust for their son even if Pansy had to keep her own name to be the regent of the Parkinson Estate.

XooooooX

Then they were alone…

Normally, sleeping together on the thirtieth of the month was considered unlucky but since Pavarti and Padma were already pregnant it wasn't as if Dean or even Su would be spilling their 'seed' in vain.

Pavarti's mother prayed that her granddaughters had been conceived on either the ninth of the fifteenth night of hers and Padma's cycle.

Apparently those were the luckiest nights to conceive a daughter, frankly Dean didn't believe in Pavarti's religious traditions but he cared about her enough to observe them and he had no object to her raising their children in her faith though he wasn't going to officially convert or dissuade her from practicing it. He wasn't even a true Catholic; he had only ever attended church to appease his mother.

Pushing aside his meandering thoughts, Dean and Pavarti recited the appropriate mantras before they actually began their first nerve-wracking lovemaking.

Despite the lack of need to conceive a child this night they joined as one body, one soul, one heart in perfect harmony if you ignored the typical fumbling of bumping teeth and other things.

Eventually, night did actually fall and the starts came out.

Pavarti blushed giggling as she pulled on a robe and pulled him out onto the terrace outside their room.

She was so glad that she'd talked her parents into letting her observe the first arrival in her own home and the fourth night of marriage ritual consummation on the same day as they signed the bonding contracts.

As Dean's surprisingly strong arms wrapped around her, Pavarti leaned back.

She was married to her beloved Dean who had done his best to deal with the strangeness of her family's religious traditions and had clearly practiced and meditated over the various mantras he had obviously memorised.

Pavarti was suspicious that her baby brother Parina's younger twin Kaiten had helped him and that pleased her. Then again Parina and Kaiten were Hufflepuffs, they were more easygoing and friendly then Padma who was shy and bookish.

They were six Ravenclaw girls; Padma had shared her dormitory with Su Li and Mandy Brocklehurst leaving the MacDougal twins Iyzebel and Morag to room with Lisa Turpin in a separate dormitory.

Which made sense considering how crampt Pavarti's old dorm was with herself, Lavender, Hermione, Faye and Alice.

"What are you thinking cara?" Dean asked softly.

"Just how different this year will be."

Dean had paid attention to both the lecture from Pavarti and Padma as well as the one from her brother Kaiten about their traditional marriage rituals.

So it was wasn't any wonder when he began the ritual of pointing out the stars Dhruva and Arundhati.

Pointing out the pole star and praying for the strength and stability of the household through yet another memorised Veda mantra… Next, Dean pointed out the Arundhati star to Pavarti and described to her the story of Arundhati and her legendary chastity.

Dean's dedication to observing her familial traditions made Pavarti love him all the more.

As much as she wanted Padma's happiness to equal hers, Pavarti didn't really believe that Su was quite as dedicated to proving herself worthy…

Dean was a perfectionist; Pavarti turned and kissed him before drawing him back to bed…

* * *

><p>[The Nurseries that we saw in Rise of the Cannonites were Dean's ritual required wedding gift proving he could take care of Pavarti and their future children. Pavarti managed to talk her mother into letting them go so he could do his 'duty' according to the gift exchange part of the ceremony. They then returned to Pavarti and Padma's British home for the mangala snanam, maangalya dhaaranam and the Saptapadi. Since they were busy with the ceremonies Dean couldn't attend the lunch meeting but because they'd broken for gift giving, Dana and Dean's stepfather could go in their place.<p>

After those last three parts of the Hindu marriage ceremony, Pavarti and Padma left to spend their time in seclusion with female members of both families. With the addition of the signing of Gringotts contracts and the slight altering of the gift portion of the ceremony I did try to keep it as close to actual practices as possible. Any mistakes weren't mean to be offensive but can we pretend that the wizard and witch Hindus have slightly different traditions?

If enough people are especially interested I could write a flashback to show their actual wedding and maybe a bit more on the Dean/Pavarti couple as well as Seamus/Colin or even Padma/Su if enough want to see a fempreg/fslash fluff.]


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